Please note: this page highlights USGS water-quality sampling related to flooding. For all USGS flooding activites, see the main USGS floods page.

Overview: USGS Water-Quality Activities During Flooding

When flooding happens, USGS field crews are among the first to respond. During and after storms and floods, USGS field crews measure the streamflow and height of rivers to ensure the accuracy and reliable operation of streamgages.

Flooding can affect the quality of our Nation's water resources. The USGS responds to major events that can affect water quality by working with local, State, and Federal agencies and the citizenry to identify, quantify, and understand environmental issues and concerns. During and after flooding events, USGS may collect additional water samples to help us understand how flooding is affecting water quality in the short- and long-term. The frequency and location of water sampling varies by flood event and depends on the needs and concerns of our Cooperators and local communities.

2011 Activities

For more information:

The USGS WaterWatch (http://waterwatch.usgs.gov) web site displays maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States. The real-time information generally is updated on an hourly basis.

USGS Flood Monitoring and Data Collection

For additional information on USGS flood monitoring and data collection activities, see USGS national flood activities web site, with links to USGS Water Science Centers, data, maps, multimedia, and more.